Judge Orders Justice Department To Declassify Torture Memos

[sabra]

Source: AHN

Washington, D.C. (AHN) - A federal judge has ordered the Justice Department to release memos letting the CIA use waterboarding and other harsh interrogation techniques on terror suspects, or justify why these should be kept classified.

Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein of a U.S. District Court in New York gave the department's Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) until Oct. 3 to demonstrate why the memos, first reported by the New York Times last year, should not be released. His ruling was in response to a lawsuit by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) to declassify the documents under the Freedom of Information Act.

The Times report identified two memos penned by the OLC in 2005. One authorized the use of methods such as waterboarding, head slapping and exposure to freezing temperatures during interrogations. The second said the CIA did not violate federal law on prisoner interrogations; it was issued just as Congress was about to pass a bill declaring "inhumane treatment" of prisoners unlawful.

"It is essential that these memos immediately be released to the public so that high level officials can be held accountable for authorizing torture as policy in violation of U.S. and international law," ACLU attorney Amrit Singh said in a news release.

Read more: http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7012187959

[uppityperson]

1. Good. k&r

[young_at_heart]

2. Didn't "we", the public, put these people in office?

Therefore, aren't they supposed to be accountable to "the public"?

[UpInArms]

3. it's about time for someone to be held accountable

but I'm not going to hold my breath until it happens

:grr:

[Solly Mack]

4. K&R

[Qutzupalotl]

5. "or justify why these should be kept classified"

You KNOW what they'll say: national security.

[Dogtown]

6. K&R n/t

[FlyingSquirrel]

7. (Meanwhile, real news like this is near the bottom of the GP)

rec'd

[fascisthunter]

8. Yes... Let America See what Real Right Wing Christian Values Looks Like

they are nothing but a sadistic cult....

[Pastiche423]

9. K&R!